Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	action_n	law_n	moral_a	1,065	5	9.0930	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85387	Cata-baptism: or new baptism, waxing old, and ready to vanish away. In two parts. The former containes LVIII. considerations, (with their respective proofs, and consectaries) pregnant for the healing of the common scruples touching the subject of baptism, and manner of baptizing. The latter, contains an answer to a discours against infant-baptism, published not long since by W.A. under the title of, Some baptismall abuses brielfy discovered, &c. In both, sundry things, not formerly insisted on, are discovered and discussed. / By J.G. a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1655 (1655)	Wing G1155; Thomason E849_1; ESTC R207377	373,602	521

should occasion them to perpetrate such things which should and ought to be punished with such a judgment However by the consideration now last traversed in conjunction with the four preceding it is evident enough that Infant-baptism is a better Benefactresse unto Christian Churches in the spirituall good of edification then the practise lately risen up in competition with it And supposing only the practise of baptizing to be still in force and binding upon Christian Churches which may I doubt not be sufficiently proved from the Scriptures and however is one of the first-born Articles of Mr. A's faith there needs no other precept be inquired after in the Scriptures to warrant yea and more then to warrant I mean to commend the Administration of it unto Infants but only this lately mentioned Let all things be done to edification so understood as was briefly suggested Sect. 162. By this time I suppose an account in full hath been given why we denie this Proposition asserted by Mr. A. in his last Argument None ought to be baptized but those who appear voluntarily willing to be baptized in obedience to God although for the confirmation of the contrary Opinion much more hath been said by others and much more then both may or might be said yet further if matters of much more weight did not claim preheminence However let us hear and see what artificiall colour Mr. A. can put upon that which is not to make it seem to be The reason hereof saith he speaking of his said Proposition Mr. A. p. 38 is this because without this Obedientiall willingnesse Baptism will be unprofitable and fruitlesse to them and where we know the good of Baptism is not to be attained there it is not to be administred For in case we should it would be a prophanation of the Ordinance a taking of Gods Name in vain Though the sowing of seed be never so necessary yet it would be no mans wisdom but folly to sow in such a ground or at such a season which he knows will render his seed frui●lesse I confesse if Mr. A. could prove that the good of Baptism is not to be attained by Infant-baptism or that the seed hereof sown in such a ground as he liketh not must needs become fruitlesse his Proposition might well laugh all opposition to scorne But such things may be a thousand times over said before once proved I doubt not but that the contrary is every mans belief who hath duly weighed the premisses Notwithstanding Mr. A. it seems hopes to find rocks in the air to build these castles upon That there is no reason he proceeds to expect otherwise but that Baptism should be unprofitable to all such who do not take it up voluntarily willingly and in obedience Mr. A. p. 38 unto God appears upon this account 1. Because now under the Gospel this is the standing Rule or Law between duties and rewards between the using of holy Ordinances and the benefit that comes by them viz. that duties be done and Ordinances performed willingly and in obedience to God And to make this stand he cites this of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. 17. If I do this thing willingly I have a reward To this we Answer as we have in effect answered formerly Sect. 163. 1. That standing Rule and Law between duties and rewards of which he speakes was a Rule and Law in as much force under the Law as now it is under the Gospel See Sect. 127 130 145. And without Faith it was altogether as impossible to please God then as now This notwithstanding the counsell of the will of God was that the Administration of the great initiatorie Ordinance Circumcision should be made unto children But of these things formerly and I trust to satisfaction 2. The saying of the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. 17. is very impertinently cited for his purpose and so are the other two 2 Cor 8. 12. 1 Cor. 13. 3. For there is nothing more evident then that this scripture with those other speaks of persons actually capable by reason of years and understanding of performing duties and services upon the terms he speaks of viz. willingly and in obedience unto God And accordingly they who do baptize children ought to do it willingly and in obedience unto God and are like to receive no reward from God for this action unlesse it be thus performed But Baptism in respect of the baptized is no action or service performed nor doth the reception of it as such require any principle of action in the receiver See this sufficiently proved Sect. 76. and again Sect. 153. Notwithstanding as Circumcision though not received voluntarily willingly or in obedience unto God yet did afterwards profit the receivers when they did voluntarily willingly and in obedience unto God accept of his counsell therein Rom 2. 25. Rom. 3. 1 2. in like manner though Baptism be not voluntarily or willingly received the receivers not being capable of commending their reception of it upon these terms yet if it be voluntarily and willingly subscribed and owned by them and wisely improved afterwards the benefit of it will in full measure accrue unto them Yea I am of Mr. Calvins judgment in this that Baptism received in Infancie and so before a man hath done any good or performed any service at all unto God is in a way of reason more highly improveable to spirituall ends and purposes then when received after beleeving Sect. 164. But Mr. A. advanceth a second reason to prove Baptism unprofitable to all such who do not take it up voluntarily c. 2. Promises saith he made unto duty or upon condition of duty are rewards of that obedience which is yeilded M. A. p. 39. to God in discharge of duty when they are fulfilled thereupon Now it is no wise proper to say or rationall to suppose that God rewards his creature man for that wherein he is only passive they being such actions which we call morall and which proceed from the motion of the will governed by a divine Law that are rewardable by God And therefore unlesse Baptism be submitted unto willingly and in obedience unto God which cannot be supposed in Infants the good things annexed thereunto by way of promissorie recompence of such obedience connot upon any goood ground be expected I answer 1. Neither is it proper to say or rationall to suppose that promises made to duty or upon condition of duty are rewards of obedience c. For such promises are made or given before obedience and rewards for service do not use to be given before work or service But by promises I suppose he means things promised and yet is it very improper to say that things promised are made unto duty or upon condition of duty But acyrologies in speaking are of easie pardon when they have truth and worth of notion accompanying them to mediate for them 2. Whereas he saith that it is not rationall to suppose that God rewards his creature man

Isaac and the God of Jacob Exod. 3. 6. he expected that men should beleeve the Resurrection of the dead upon the account of these words and practise accordingly This is evident from that of our Saviour to the Sadduces Mat. 22. 31 32. But as touching the Resurrection of the dead have ye not read what was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac c. clearly implying that these men and others stood bound in duty and in conscience towards God upon the account and ground of such words as these to have beleeved the rising again of the dead and that it was their sin having such a ground of proof for it not to beleeve it Yet could not the truth be gathered or inferred from the said words but by a diligent close and intense working of the rationative faculty and understanding as is evident No nor can our Saviours own demonstration it self in the place ment●oned of the said truths from the words be apprehended without some considerable engagement of the m●nd and intellectual powers of the Soul So likewise he expected that from the example of David and his men eating the Shew-bread the Pharisees should have understood and known that it was lawful for men to pluck ears of corn on the Sabbath day Mat. 12. 23. yet the argument here was not of so ready a perception The Apostle saith that God hath exhibited faith or given assurance unto all men that he will judg the World in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained meaning Christ in that he hath raised him from the dead Acts 17. 31. Yet it is a matter of no obvious conception how to conceive or make the act of God in raising Christ from the dead a sufficient ground of assurance that he will judg the World in righteousness by him So when Moses avenged the Israelit by smiting and slaying the Egyptian who oppressed him he supposed and expected that h●s Brethren would have understood and beleeved th●t God by his hand would deliver them Acts 24. 25. His supposition and expectation in this kind cannot be judged unreasonable nay certainly they were regular and agreeable to the mind of God himself Yet was this fact of Moses in vindicating the Israelite and smiting the Egyptian no such pregnant argument at the first sight no ground of a ready or easie conviction unto his Brethren the Israelites that God by his hand intended to effect that great Deliverance from the Egyptian Bondage which afterwards we know he did effect by him Nor did his Brethren the Israelites no not so much as any one of them as far as can be gathered from the Scriptures and as is most probable apprehend or understand any such thing thereby The Apostle Paul expected that the Corinthians and so other Christians should hear know and understand that it was their duty to afford competent maintenance to the Ministers of the God from and by means of this Mosaical Law Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn 1 Cor. 9. 8 9 10. See also 1 Tim. 5. 18. And yet this Law was nothing so obvious and clear a ground for such a duty and practise as the Command of God for the Circumcising Children under the Law is for their Baptizing the Commandment of Baptism or the change of the Ordinance only supposed under the Gospel Consectary If God requireth of men as well to beleeve as practise not onely upon plain and express grounds such as from whence that which ought to be beleeved or practised may readily and without the mediation of a Consequence be inferred but upon grounds also more remote and from which the thing to be beleeved or practised cannot be inferred or drawn but by force of argument by a narrow and through debate of the understanding then it roundly followeth that Infant-Baptism may be a duty and necessary to be practised though the grounds evincing it should lie much deepe● in the Scriptures then now they do and not be so obvious to persons uncapable whether through passion and shortness of spirit or through weakness or scantness of understanding of a narrow sifting of and through searching into matters of a more difficult consideration CONSIDERATION III. MAny practises may be lawful yea and necessary which are neither enjoyned by any expressness of ●recept nor yet countenanced or warranted by any expressness of Example in the Scriptures Proof 1. By expressness of Precept I mean a Precept or Command of such a Tenor of words which doth plainly and according to the literal and grammatical sence of the words and without the mediation of any inference or deduction require such or such a practice So likewise by expressness of example I mean an action or practise every ways or in all circumstances semblable unto or parallel with the practise in question As for example Children are commanded to reverence or honor their Parents by expresness of precept in the fift Commandment but they are not upon the like terms I mean by expresness of precept here commanded to relieve them when they stand in need with their substance though it be granted that this may reasonably be understood to be here commanded also because to regard those that are in want so as to relieve and support them is a casting of honor or respect upon them See 1 Tim. 5. 3. 17. Judg. 9. 9. 2. By necessary I mean that which ought to be done or which a person stands bound in duty and conscience unto God to do These terms explained by the way we proceed to the proof of the consideration It was lawful yea and in a sence necessary that the Disciples passing through the corn fields though on the Sabbath day should being an hungry pluck ears of corn Mat. 12. 1 2 c. and eat otherwise our Saviour would not have justified them in this action against those which reproved them But certain it is that the Disciples were not able to produce either expresness of precept or example from the Scripture whereby to warrant such an action Nor doth our Saviour himself produce either the one or the other upon this account So also it was necessary and matter of duty from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel by men for those that were instructed and taught therein to supply their Teachers with things necessary and to make them partakers of all their goods * Gal 6. 6. 1 Cor. 9. 14 c. Even so saith the Apostle hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel yet had they no expressness either of prec●pt or example to engage them hereunto until afterwards as viz. when this Apostle declared the Ordinance or Institution of God in this behalf in the words now cited and elsewhere Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things Again when Dav●d and they that were with him